Japanese word

保つ

Pronunciation

Romajitamotsu

Meaning

  • verbkeep

Example

部屋をきれいに保ちます。heya o ki re i ni tamo chi ma su

I keep the room clean.

Illustration for 保つ (keep)

More examples

毎日運動して健康を保ちます。mai nichi un dō shi te ken kō o tamo chi ma su

I exercise every day to stay healthy.

Core concept

Describes keeping something in a chosen condition over time rather than letting it change.

Common phrases

  • 清潔に保つsei ketsu ni tamo tsu

    keep clean

  • 健康を保つken kō o tamo tsu

    maintain good health

  • 距離を保つkyo ri o tamo tsu

    maintain a distance

Similar words

維持するijisuru: To keep something at a set level or in a steady state.
キープするkīpusuru: To keep something in a desired condition, often in casual speech.

Definition in Japanese

ある状態を変えずに続ける。a ru jō tai o ka e zu ni tsuzu ke ru

Word origin

保つ (tamotsu) has a native Japanese reading and no securely established compound analysis; the kanji 保 (ho, "preserve") is used as a meaning-based spelling.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 保つ (tamotsu) commonly takes を (o) before the condition being maintained, as in 健康を保つ (kenkō o tamotsu), and its polite form is 保ちます (tamochimasu).

Other meanings

  • maintainverb
  • preserveverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 保ち方tamochikataway of maintainingnoun

Word lists with this word